BY Rachel Montpelier
Bruna Papandrea Producing Series Based on Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple Books
Miss Marple will solve more mysteries with the help of Bruna Papandrea and her production company, Made Up Stories. A press release has announced that Made Up, alongside Endeavor Content, has a...
Gurinder Chadha Directing Animated Netflix Pic Based on Feminist Graphic Novel “Pashmina”
2019 is shaping up to be a big year for Gurinder Chadha. Her latest film, “Blinded by the Light,” scored the biggest deal at Sundance and will open August 14, and “Beecham...
Phyllida Lloyd to Direct Female-Driven Housing Drama “Herself,” Sharon Horgan Producing
“The Iron Lady” and “Mamma Mia!” director Phyllida Lloyd is teaming up with Sharon Horgan’s production company, Merman, for her next project. Lloyd will helm...
“A Wrinkle in Time,” “Widows,” “Hate U Give,” and More Receive ReFrame Stamp
Time to plan a feminist movie night. ReFame, a coalition working to advance women’s representation on and off-screen, has awarded its gender equality stamp to 20 of the top-grossing films of...
Hammer Museum Hosting Art+Feminism Wikipedia Edit-a-Thon Focused on Women in Film
UCLA’s Hammer Museum is working to reform Wikipedia’s gender gap. This Sunday, March 10, it is hosting an Art + Feminism Wikipedia Edit-a-Thon focused on women’s achievements in...
“Honor Diaries” Producer Paula Kweskin Fighting for Women’s Rights with New Film Fest
Filmmaker and human rights attorney Paula Kweskin responded to the censorship of her film “Honor Diaries,” a doc about gendered “honor violence,” by starting the Censored...
Variety Power of Women: New York to Recognize Taraji P. Henson, Bette Midler, & More
Variety has named the honorees of its sixth Power of Women: New York luncheon. Taraji P. Henson, Bette Midler, country music artist Kacey Musgraves, journalist and anchor Christiane Amanpour, and...
Theresa Rebeck, Heidi Schreck, & More to Attend Women’s Day on Broadway 2019
Last year Disney Theatrical Group launched Women’s Day on Broadway to spotlight women’s stories and galvanize the fight for gender equality in theater. According to Playbill, the...
New App Lets Users Rate a Film Based on Its Feminism (or Lack Thereof)
Do you think movies should be evaluated by their portrayal of women? What about their depictions of race or class? Whether they are intersectional? Well, now there’s an app for that. World...
NFMLA Will Spotlight Female-Directed Films to Celebrate Women’s History Month
NewFilmmakers Los Angeles’ (NFMLA) Monthly Film Festival for March will recognize women’s stories. The org announced that on March 16, in honor of Women’s History Month, it will...
“Call the Midwife” Renewed for Another Two Seasons
“Call the Midwife” will be telling compassionate — and often, political — stories about pregnancy, motherhood, healthcare, and reproductive rights through at least 2022....
Marianna Palka’s “Egg” Among Women in the Arts & Media Coalition’s Collaboration Awardees
The Women in the Arts & Media Coalition has named the honorees of its 2019 Collaboration Awards. Set to be held March 30 — Support Women Artists Now Day — at New York...
Weekly Update for March 1: Women Centric, Directed, and Written Films Playing Near You
FILMS ABOUT WOMEN OPENING Greta No good deed goes unpunished in “Greta.” The campy thriller sees Chloë Grace Moretz playing Frances, a kind young woman new to New York City. One fateful day...
2019-20 Pilot Season: Jude Weng & Jessica Yu Make History, Uptick in Director Inclusion
This pilot season is one for the history books. Jude Weng and Jessica Yu have both booked directing gigs and, according to Deadline, are set to become the first Asian-American women to helm...
Teaser Watch: Ava DuVernay Tells the Story of the Central Park Five in Netflix’s “When They See Us”
Ava DuVernay’s long-awaited Central Park Five limited series has a teaser and a premiere date. The true story of five teenage boys of color who were falsely convicted of rape in the early...
Exclusive: An Eco-Activist Faces a Huge Decision in “Woman at War” Clip
Halla (Halldóra Geirharðsdóttir) has wanted to be a mother for a long time. The protagonist of “Woman at War” applied for adoption years ago and — while waiting and wondering if...
“Made in NY” Women’s Film, TV & Theatre Fund Presents $1.5M to 63 Projects
The first round of “Made in NY” Women’s Film, TV & Theatre Fund grants have been awarded, a press release has announced. New York Deputy Mayor Alicia Glen and the Mayor’s Office...
Claire Scanlon Will Direct “Adam & Eve” Comedy Pilot for Fox
“Set It Up” helmer and prolific TV director Claire Scanlon has booked her latest gig. As Deadline reports, she will direct the Fox single-camera comedy pilot “Adam &...
CherryPicks to Award Inaugural Female First Feature Prize at SXSW
CherryPicks, a review aggregator site and digital brand for women in film criticism, will be honoring a debut film from a female director at SXSW 2019. According to a press release, CherryPicks and...
Trailer Watch: Brit Marling Wakes Up in Another Dimension in “The OA: Part II”
“I did it,” Prairie Johnson says with tears in her eyes, “I jumped!” A new trailer for “The OA: Part II” sees Brit Marling’s character waking up in a...
Priya Swaminathan and Tonia Davis Named Co-Heads of Obamas’ Higher Ground Productions
Another reason to get excited about Barack and Michelle Obama’s Higher Ground production company: it will be run by women. According to Deadline, producers and film execs Priya Swaminathan and...
Rotten Tomatoes Updates Audience Rating System, Combating Trolls
Rotten Tomatoes is taking on the trolls. The review aggregator site announced that it is revamping its Audience Rating System, specifically its comments section and “Want to See”...
BAM to Host Claire Denis Retrospective
BAM will close out Women’s History Month with a celebration of César-nominated filmmaker Claire Denis. According to a press release, the Brooklyn venue will host “Strange Desire: The...
2019 Indie Spirit Awards: Glenn Close, Regina King, & More Win Big and Celebrate Women
The Film Independent Spirit Awards were held this past Saturday, and the ceremony was memorable not just because of the nominees and winners but because of the honorees’ celebration of women in...
Weekly Update for February 22: Women Centric, Directed, and Written Films Playing Near You
FILMS ABOUT WOMEN OPENING Firebrand – Written and Directed by Aruna Raje (Available on Netflix) “Firebrand” follows the life of a successful lawyer who herself is a sexual assault victim...
Reese Witherspoon Exec Producing Starz Family Drama from “Queen Sugar’s” Davita Scarlett
Reese Witherspoon has lined up yet another TV gig. The Oscar-winning actress and rising mogul is developing “Kin,” a Starz family drama from “Queen Sugar” writer Davita...
Paramount Launches New Dev/Green Light Process, Aims to Make Film Slate More Inclusive
Only a couple weeks after taking Time’s Up and the Annenberg Inclusion Initiative’s #4PercentChallenge — and promising to commit to a women-directed project in the next 18 months —...
2019 Diversity Report: Women & POC Make Progress But Are Still Largely Underrepresented
UCLA’s College of Social Sciences has released its latest Diversity Report. Once again, the study reveals women and people of color are making strides on both sides of the camera, but overall,...
Trailer Watch: Tessa Thompson Lends Her Voice to a Young Leader in “Brave Girl Rising”
Nasro, the 17-year-old protagonist of Girl Rising’s “Brave Girl Rising,” is a refugee and “a child with no mother, from a people with no home.” However, as the new...
Study: 31 Percent of 2018’s Top-Grossing Films Featured a Female Protagonist
“2018 may be remembered as the year in which things were not quite as they appeared for female characters,” Dr. Martha Lauzen said of her analysis of women’s representation in last...
Trailer Watch: Selina Meyer Makes One Last Presidential Bid in “Veep’s” Final Season
Selina Meyer has set her sights on the Oval Office once again in “Veep’s” seventh and final season. The former senator, VP, and prez (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) wants to lead the American...
Amelia Bullmore Writing Women-Led Crime Drama “Traces” for UK’s Alibi
Good news, “Happy Valley” fans: your next UK crime TV obsession has been announced. Deadline confirms Alibi — a UK broadcaster run by Discovery and UKTV — has commissioned a...
Trailer Watch: HBO Doc “The Inventor” Exposes Elizabeth Holmes’ Fake Medical Revolution
Elizabeth Holmes’ dream is that “less people have to say goodbye too soon to people they love.” She reveals this aspiration in the new trailer for “The Inventor: Out for Blood...
Awards Roundup: Angela Shanelec Wins Berlinale Prize, WGA Honors “Can You Ever Forgive Me?”
With the Oscars less than a week away, awards season is winding down. Women have nabbed several prestigious honors throughout the 2019 awards circuit, including at the Berlinale and WGA Awards this...
Four Gender Equality Docs to Air on WORLD Channel in Honor of Women’s History Month
If you want to celebrate Women’s History Month by supporting stories about women bucking tradition and demanding equality and justice all over the globe, then WORLD Channel is here for you. The...
Weekly Update for February 15: Women Centric, Directed, and Written Films Playing Near You
FILMS ABOUT WOMEN OPENING The Breaker Upperers – Written and Directed by Jackie van Beek and Madeleine Sami (Available on Netflix) Fifteen years ago, Mel (Madeleine Sami) and Jen (Jackie van...
Margaret Atwood and #MeToo Founder Tarana Burke to Be Celebrated at VH1 Trailblazer Honors
Two of the most influential voices in modern feminism are being recognized. VH1 has announced that “Handmaid’s Tale” author Margaret Atwood and #MeToo founder and activist Tarana...
Edie Falco to Topline CBS Pilot About LAPD’s First Female Police Chief, Kate Dennis Directing
Edie Falco could be returning to TV. According to Deadline, the Emmy-winning “Sopranos” and “Nurse Jackie” actress will star in CBS police drama pilot “Tommy.” The...
Amy Sherman-Palladino and Daniel Palladino Sign Overall Deal with Amazon Studios
The Palladinos are all in on Amazon. Variety reports that Amy Sherman-Palladino and Daniel Palladino have extended their overall pact with Amazon Studios, the home of their award-winning dramedy...
Exclusive: Gemma Chan Sets Her Sights on a Picky Bachelor in the “Mr. Malcolm’s List” Trailer
It’s 1818 and a young woman, portrayed by Gemma Chan (“Crazy Rich Asians”), wants to get married in our exclusive trailer for the new Refinery29 short “Mr. Malcolm’s...
Award-Winning Sundance Docs From Liza Mandelup and Tamara Kotevska Secure Distribution
Two more women-directed Sundance pics have found homes. Liza Mandelup’s “Jawline” and Tamara Kotevska and Ljubomir Stefanov’s “Honeyland” have nabbed...
Trailer Watch: Sharon & Rob Deal with Death, AA, and Illness in “Catastrophe’s” Final Season
Season 3 of “Catastrophe” ended on quite the dark note. Sharon (Sharon Horgan) discovered her alcoholic husband, Rob (Rob Delaney), had been drinking again when he got into a car...
Projects from “Broad City’s” Abbi Jacobson and Naomi Ekperigin in Dev at Comedy Central
“Broad City” might be ending — no, kween! — but luckily, a couple of its alumnae are already working on new projects for Comedy Central. According to Deadline, the network is...
Research: 2018 Marked Major Improvement for On-Screen Inclusion in Top Films
Finally, some encouraging stats for women and people of color in film. After concluding, in an earlier 2019 report, that the number of women directors hadn’t budged in 12 years, Dr. Stacy L....
Elle Fanning-Led Catherine the Great Series Gets Greenlight from Hulu
Elle Fanning is taking an “anti-historical ride” to 18th century Russia. According to Deadline, Hulu has ordered “The Great” to series. The “genre-bending” drama,...
WIFTI Introduces Rebate System for Gender-Balanced Projects at Berlinale
Women in Film & Television International (WIFTI) and post-production house Chimney have launched a new gender equality initiative. WIFTI unveiled 10% for 50/50, which provides rebates to...
Aretha Franklin to Be Subject of “Genius” Season 3, Suzan-Lori Parks Will Showrun
National Geographic is honoring Aretha Franklin’s “Genius.” The Queen of Soul will be the protagonist of “Genius” Season 3, Deadline reports. Each year the anthology...
Weekly Update for February 8: Women Centric, Directed, and Written Films Playing Near You
FILMS ABOUT WOMEN OPENING What Men Want – Written by Tina Gordon Chism, Alex Gregory, and Peter Huyck Inspired by the Nancy Meyers hit romantic comedy “What Women Want,” this film follows...
Paul Feig’s Powderkeg Creating Diverse, Inclusive Writers’ Rooms with New Initiative
Powderkeg has launched its latest inclusive initiative. Paul Feig and Laura Fischer’s digital media production company is following up its incubator for women filmmakers with Break the Room...
Exclusive: WhoHaha Announces Spring Creator Lab Participants
WhoHaha, the Elizabeth Banks-co-founded creative community and digital content studio elevating women in comedy, has named the participants of its Spring Creator Lab. Women and Hollywood has...
Study: Women Represent 25 Percent of Non-Acting 2019 Oscar Nominees
Another year, another Oscars ceremony dominated by male nominees. The Women’s Media Center (WMC) has released its annual study of gender representation among the non-acting Academy Award...